Furniture top construction



Sept. 8, 1931. D. E. HUNTER FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2o, 1929 IIII'I/ll'llil jaa/673%??- /zaz Patented Sept. 1931 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE SHAW-WALKER COMPANY, 0F MICHIGAN FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION Application 1aed .my 2o, 1929. serial No. 379,679.

' the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and practical construction rfor the tops of desks, involving the use of a sheet metal core flanged at its edges to provide projecting edges of substantial thickness, and covering the top and sides of the core with a pliable material, such as linoleum, including the anchorage of its edges, and the application of rounded caps at the corners of the top. Y

A further object of the invention is to ilnprove upon the construction disclosed in LettersA Patent No. 1,542,138 granted to me on June 1G, 1925, and a variation of the structure disclosed in my copending application filed July 20, 1929, Serial No. 379,678.

A preferred embodilnent of my invention is illustra-ted in the accolnpanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one corner section of a desk embodying my improved features of top construction.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the corner section of the improved top.

Figure 3 a view in vertical section taken diagonally through one corner, as on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

`Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in vertical section taken diagonally through one corner,as on line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of one of' the gusset plates used at each corner.

The top A herein shown is designed especially for a metal desk, and as such rests upon and is fastened to a pedestal or base B. The top comprises in general a sheet metal core 1, over which is applied a layer 2 of pliable covering material, such as lino leum. The core is shaped or formed to provide the top with projecting or overhanging edges of substantial thickness, namely. by bending its margins downwardly at right angles in the form of depending flanges la and inwardly again at right angles to form reentrant flanges 1?), the' bend at the junction of the vertical flanges and top section being rounded on a 90 arc of substantial radius to provide a smooth curved profile about the upper edge of the top, while the junction of the vertical and reentr-ant flanges is a relatively sharp right bein j In preparing the core plate, rectangular sections are cut from each corner of the blank, and symmetrically with respect to diagonal lines so that after the marginal flanges are shaped, an opening is formed at each corner of the core, the edges of Which are vertical .i and extend inwardly atv right angles to each other from opposite sides of the corner diagonal and include the rounded top corner edge of the core, but not the corner sections of the bottom of reel'itrant flanges 1b which meet in a mitre joint, that is, in substantially abuttingrelation along the diagonal.. The shape of the corner openings mayalso be described as conforming generally to the shape of the corner caps which presently will be described.`

In applying the layer 2 of covering material the same is first cut and trimmed to cover the "entire surface of the core, being carried over and around the sides thereof, so that the edges of the covering material terminate along the lower edges of the vertical edge faces of the core, although portions are trimmed away at the corners to provide openings conforming to the corner openings in the core. A suitable cement or adhesive is used in applying the covering material to the core, although additional means are used for binding the edges ythereof around the bottom of the core, as will be presently described.

The corner caps t are metal shells which are applied to the corners after the. covering material has been laid over the core, and are mounted in such a manner as to give the appearance of being inlaid in the covering layer, these surfaces being Hush. The caps are preferably pressed or cast in brass or bronze, and in vertical section conform exactly with that of the covered core, namely, with a rounded top edge portion and a straight vertical portion. In transverse or .round corners horizontal section the caps are rounded in 90 arcs, thus roviding the desk with the esired.

To form an anchorage for the corner caps as well as a corner reinforcement for the top, gusset plates are inserted within the interior corner -spaces of -the core and spotwelded in; place. stamped from sheet met and consist of two parallel flat Y-shaped legs 5a, 5a joined at their apexes by a transversey web `5b, having a hole 5c drilled at its center. Along the opposite sides of the web 5b are a pair of ears 5d, 5d bent at angles of 45 to the web and 90 to the outer edges of the Y- shaped legs 5a.. These gusset plates are inserted so that the legs 5w lie flat against the top and bottom of the corner spaces and are spot-welded to metal surfaces of the core above and the bottom flanges 1b below, as at 6. The central web thus is positioned vertically and diagonally across the corner with the ears 5d abutting at their forward edges against the inner surface of the core on either side of the corner opening, thus providing a reinforcementl to prevent distortion of the core at the corners.

The corner caps are provided with anchoring screws 7 which are soldered or brazed to the inner faces thereof and project diagonally inward so that they can be inserted through the holes in the central web 5b of the gusset plate. VA nut 8 applied to the end of the screw and tightened, draws the corner cap tightly to its seat, which is formed by rabbeting the edges of the covering layer so that the surface of the cap will be flush.

As a further detail in the formation of the corner caps, .it will be noted that the lower edges thereof are offset outwardly to form a squared bead 4a and that the lower edge of the head is extended inwardly to form a short lip 4b which has substantial abutting contact with the rounded edges of the bottom core flange 1b, where it is cut back a short distance in the formation of the corner opening.

To complete the structure, narrow flanged rails or strips 9 are applied along the underside of the projecting edges of the to and fastened in place by means of short bo ts 10 passing through the rails and the bottom flanges 1b of the core at suitable intervals.

The edge flanges. 9a and 9b of the rails project upwardly and embrace the edge of the covering material on the outside and the'edge of the core flange on the inside. At the corners the strips abut endwise against the corner caps, with the outer flanges flush with the bead ofthe' caps. L

These rails serve the double purpose of holding the edges of the flexible covering material against disengagement from the These gusset plates are c,

, said core and covering layer having sections removed at the corners thereof, rounded corner caps mounted at each corner and conforming in A'vertical section substantially to that of the edge of said core and covering layer, and rails applied to the under side of l the marginal portion of said core and havingan upturned flange adapted to overlap the edges of said covering material, said caps having a bead about their lower edges abutting the ends of the flange of said rails.

l2. A top for furniture comprisinga core of sheet metal bent to form projecting marginal portions of substantial thickness having a rounded top edge and flat side faces, a layer of pliable covering material applied \ov'er said core and extending around the edges thereof to cover the side faces thereof, said core and covering layer having sections removed at the corners thereof, rounded corner caps mounted at each corner and conforming in vertical section substantially to that of the edge of said core and covering layer, gusset plates secured internally at the corners of the core, fastening members connecting said corner caps with said guet plates, metal rails bolted to the under side of the marginal portion of said core and having an upturned flange adapted to overlap the edges of said coverin material, said caps having a bead about 't eir lower edges abutting the ends of the flange of said ra1ls.

3. A top for furniture com rising a sheet metal core having its margina portions bent at right angles to provide vertical side faces and an inwardly extending bottom flange, a layer of pliable covering material applied over said core and carried around the edges thereof to cover the side faces with portions lll cut away at the corners, corner caps mounted j of July, 1929.

DAVID E. 

